Maine chance for land based salmon farm
A NORWEGIAN aquaculture company has announced plans to build one of the world’s largest land based salmon farms more than 3,000 miles from home in the United States.
The eventual $500 million project by Nordic Aquafarms will be based in the state of Maine, on the outskirts of a small coastal town called Belfast.
Nordic Aquafarms said that after international market assessments and comprehensive land site searches, it has entered into agreements for a property in Maine to develop what would be one of the largest land based salmon farms internationally.
CEO Erik Heim said they have secured a 40-acre property near Belfast.
‘The area has abundant access to sea and freshwater resources that provide a good match with land based aquaculture requirements.’
Helm unveiled the plan before an audience of 100 people at the University of Maine Hutchinson Centre, saying Belfast was chosen after a search that started in Japan and China, then took stock of Ireland and Spain before settling on the United States, New England, Maine, and finally Belfast.
He explained that Maine was chosen because it had ‘pristine environment, cold water conditions, a long history as a leader in the seafood industry and proximity to major consumer markets in the north-east US’.
Construction is expected to start in 2019 and the farm will initially take on 60 staff, rising to around 140-plus people in what have been described as highly skilled jobs.
Nordic Aquafarms describes itself as a progressive producer in land based fish farming, with production in Norway and Denmark.
Based in Fredrikstad, south of Oslo, it was
established just four years ago, but has rapidly developed into a considerable business operation with international involvement.
It says on its website it is backed by a ‘financially solid group of investors from various parts of Norway’.
Among those believed to be investing in the company are the Rasmussen group in Kristiansand and Sundt, which is also one of the largest shareholders in Atlantic Sapphire, the company that plans to build a giant land based salmon plant in Florida.
Nordic Aquafarms said in a statement: ‘We are proud to have recruited experi-
enced people from a range of countries and backgrounds as an important step in building a world class company.
‘Our production companies benefit from financial support from prestigious grant organisations, including Horizon 2020 (EU), Innovasjon Norge (Norway), Skattefunn (Norway) and MUPD (Denmark).’
The Nordic Aquafarms Maine project involves constructing a land based salmon farm with 33,000 tonnes (66 million pounds) annual production capacity, in several phases.
‘This equals approximately eight per cent of US consumption of
salmon. The project has been enthusiastically welcomed by Maine politicians and commercial interests. US Senator Angus King, Congressman Bruce Poliquin and the Governor of Maine, Paul LePage, all met Nordic Aquafarms before the announcement.
‘Aquaculture is
a growing force in Maine’s economy, bringing new jobs and opportunities to our state’s fishing industry,’ said Senator King.
‘This is an investment in Maine people, Maine jobs, and the future of our economy.’
Openandshutcase: Page44